Automobile-wheel auxiliary bearing.



B. R. McDONNELL. AUTOMOBILE WHEEL AUXILIARY BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4. 39H

Patented Jan. 22,1918;

n m T A 'ettechmeni, of. this particular one.

Piefli llffl EAYMUNB E. McDONHELL, 03E CHICAGO, Hill peeificetion ofLetters Patent.

Application filed December e, 1916. Serial No. 1555,0516.

To aZZ whom 2'1; may conceive:

Be it known that l, RAYMOND R MCDON- new a cieizen of the United Statesof Amen ice, and resident of Chicago, Cool: county, Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobile-di selAuxiliary Bearings, of which the iollovvfuig is a soecifieaiion.

My inveniion relates devices iioi imposing the load dii'ectly on theWheels of an automobile, instead of on the there-- of, so that a heavyload can ceiried with out danger of h-icskege.

Generally sta ted, the object o tion is to provide simple in. tivelyinexpensive device of lh'lS can be readily opplied as attachmen anordinary automobile, Without changing the construction of the le'litei'.who?) '5" a comparatively light vehicle and one ooopi'imarily intended.for se as such can readily be converted into truck cepehle of cars ing aload much heavieoshsn that "ion which the machine vwas originallydesigned. It is also an object to s tails and Zi EBiEUIQSGf conshinations tending to inc efficiency and serviceohili the general oi adevice or To she foregoing and other use my inventioi'l consists inilT-ters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accom anying dir -win i .Figure l is e.-

eleva'ion of n eutomo bile having the rear Wheels {hereof equipped withauxiliary hearings to impose the load or weight of the body directly onthe Wheels, instead of on the mile. embodying the principles of myinveh'sion.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 2 2 in Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the rear said automohile, showing theside springs of the vehicle hod Fig. l an enlarged detail sectional viewof a portion of said ouniliaiy hearing.

Fig. 5 is a view of the bottom surface of the posts shown in d.

Fig. 6 is a detail s'ectiohel View showing another form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing another form 01" my inveneion.

As thus illustrated. the eueomohile body A may be of e s suilsehle lei'moi" construeported, so that the Weight is coniniunic the tighteningtending The front and new Wheels ll and i.) can bemounted 1B the usualroan er A eion.

letter on the ends of the reeor stile f D upon which the load isordinarily through this housing and the stale Wheels. To take the loadoil of s: 'd and housing, so that it "will he cwi; tirely by the wheelsC, lea f e full floating in character, if 1 over the enlargedend-portion (Z o housing, and is secured to F W e which emend betweenthe spokes through an outer chomping icing u'h of these bolls will Bll.spokes firmly between the ring larger ring G is errau 'ed concentric...she ring E, and anti-friction hells interposed between the rings E end Gloy to provide an ennul i hell-hearing. it will he understooch course.um rollers can be employed as sub bolls, if such is desired, 1.1friction hearing thus prov any suitable, known or H the broader uspecesoi are concerned. -lhe upi ring G is provided f emu H which side springl1o'f the v be understood, of C'OUI'S' hearing and provided are dupliez.of the vehicle, so body is imposed dii'ec Wheels of the anionic carriedby the two our not by the hearings whic i ere provided inside of thehousiw axle, and so that the axle snstsu Whatever.

While the auxiliary any suitable character, it is, further and specialimprovein Hi3. composed of the live rings ewe rings are in position andl the hall can he dropped mg after the two rings pl the other, and whenthe raceway of the bear ing is supplied with the required number ofballs, this opening J can then be closed by the plug 7' which is screwedinto said opening. To prevent this plug from forming a rough spotv inthe raceway, over which the balls might have some difliculty in passing,and which would cause undue wear, the plug j is preferably screwed intothe opening J during the process of manufacture of the bearing, and theinner end of the plug is then finished off to make it smooth and per-.tectly flush with the surface of the groove of the ring. Then notches Kand L are cut opposite each. other in the plug and ring, respectively,so that when the plug is removed and again screwed into place, it can berotated until these two notches are again opposite each other, thusinsuring accurate positioning of the inner end of the plug in exactlythe same relation to the groove or inner surface of the ring that it hadwhen the entire hearing was originally constructed. The outer end ofsaid plug may have a slot M for a screw-driver or other tool by whichthe plug can he removed and then screwed into place again. Thisball-bearing, it will be seen, is preferably provided with grooves whichfit the balls, so that the latter not only sustain the weight ofthevehicle body, but also resist lateral strain or side thrust.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that; the invention provides asimple device, in the form of an auxiliary bearing, for connecting thewheels directly with the springs of the vehicle body, so that the weightof the body and the loadc'arried thereby are communicated directly tothe wheels and not through the axle and its housing. In this way, theaxle is made full floating in character, by the use of attachments whichare applicable to the automobile without changing the constructionthereof, whereby an ordinary light passenger car can be readilyconverted into a truck for heavy work.

The wheel may have any usual or ordi nary term of hub 12. which in thiscase is secured to the end of the axle X, and with the arrangement shownthe auxiliary bearing serves to take the weight off from said hub,inasmuch as this bearing is clamped to the spokes of the wheel, so thatthe weight is communicated from this bearing directly to the spokes andthen to the rim and tire of the wheel. For this purpose, the auxiliarybearing is larger than the hub, by which is meant that it is of greaterdiameter than the hub, and is entirely external of the wheel. The entirebearing is applicable to the wheel as an attachment, so that theinvention can be used in connection withwheels which are primarilydesigned and intended for use without an auxiliary bearing of this orany other kind. The bearing can be detached restored to its position onthe axle, at the end oi the housing D, and is then capable of operationin its intended manner.

In a ball-bearing such as the one shown and described, the twooppositely disposed grooves Y and Z form the raceway of theball-bearing, and the opposite sides of each groove are permanentlyconnected together, inasmuch as each groove is formed by a single pieceof metal. Consequently, the openmg J constitutes the only means foradmitting the balls to the raceway, and for removing them therefron'i.lVith this construction, and with this method of introducing the balls(I into the raceway, a ballbearing of large diameter can be provided ina very simple and inexpensive manner, inasmuch as certain screw-threadedrings or annular members which have heretofore been employed inball-bearings can be dispensed with and will not be necessary. It willbe seen that in a bearing of large diameter the screw-threading of partshaving such diameter would be more or less difiicult and expensive, andmight be difficult of adjustment and objectionable in use, as com paredwith a ball-bearing of moderate or comparatively small diameter. Withthe form of ball-bearing shown, the construction is very simple andcomparatively inexpensive, and the weight is communicated through alarge number of balls disposed in a large circle to a ring ofcomparatively large diameter which is secured rigidly to the spokes ofthe wheel, or in any suitable "manner, thus substantially increasing thestrength of the structure of the wheel, as well as leaving the hub andaxle or other supporting member entirely free from weight.

While the invention has been descrih in connection with an automobile,it will understood that an auxiliary bearing of kind can be applied tothe wheels of vehicle, where such is desirable or nccessi either in theoriginal construction thereol afterward as an attachment. withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and in using the termautomobile, it will be understood that I mean any vehicle to which theinvention can be applied. 7

Moreover, it will be understood that while the invention is shown anddescribed in conjunction with the rear wheels of an automobile theauxiliary bearing can be used on the front wheels of an automobile orother vehicle, if so desired, as well as on the rear' wheels. The,entire bearing is structurally distinct from the Wheel, and is removablein its entirety from the wheel, so that the removal of the auxiliarybearing leaves no portion thereof on the wheel. Of course, though, if sodesired, the bearkind is that a comparatively light automobile or othervehicle can be easily converted into a truck capable of carrying 'heavyloads.

As shown in Fig. 6, the outer ring N, which is substantially like thering G previously described, is bolted to the spokes by bolts a, and theinner ring 0, which corresponds to the ring E, is provided with an arm nto support the springs I, so that in this case the weightof the load iscommunicated directly to the inner ring instead of to the outer ring.Furthermore, the anti-friction devices are omitted, and the two rings Nand G are in direct contact with each other, except. as grease orgraphite or some other lubricant is interposed between. To preventdisplacement of the ring- 6, the ring it is provided with a flange Pwhich engages the side of the ring 0-, so that the latter cannot beshifted outwardly and away from the wheel while the bearing is in use.

In Fig. 7,. the ring Q corresponds to the ring G, and the ring Rcorresponds to the ring E, but in this case no anti-friction devices areemployed, and to prevent lateraldisplacernent otthe ring Q, away fromthe wheel, a bar or spreader S is employed. in

practice, the said spreader S connects the ring Q at one. end of theaxle with the similar ring at the other end of the axle, so that thesetwo rings are held a fixed distance apart, and are thereby preventedfrom shitting toward each other, it being understood that the springs Iwould not be suliicient for this purpose. I I

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the weight of, the load can beimposed either on the outer ring or the inner ring, according torequirements, and that the auxiliary bearing thus provided may beanti-friction in character or otherwise, as

may be desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention. WhatI claim as my invention is 1-- .1. In combination with an automobileWheel, an auxiliary bearing constructed with a stationary ring arrangedto encircle thehub of the wheel and means "to engage said ring forimposing the load of the vehicle directly onsaid wheel. i

2. In combination with an automobile wheel, an auxiliary bearingconstructed and bearing being applicable as an attachment b0 ing theload of the vehicle directly on arranged'tor imposing the ole directlyon said wheel, ing an axle and housing their hearing comprising a rin chousing, means to attach salt to the wheel, a member e: ring,auti-tl'riction elements not tween said ring arul member, out supportthe load on said member.

In combination with an autr wheel, an auxiliary bearing constr earranged for imposing the load 0 cle directly on said wheel, saidbcaiiiu prising a ring disposed on the the wheel, a clamping nieru theouter side of the wheel, bolts through the wheel to connect said membertogether, thereby nip rigidly to the wheel, anti- "on t engaging saidring, and means to J said devices and thereby co ll 'il: Weight of theload to bea in l. The combination set forth in cl said bearing beingdetachable :trcr '1 wheel without depriving the auntomoone oi the use ofsaid wheel.

5. lhe combination set forth said automobile having a rear end of whichsaid wheel is secl bearing being detachable wi ing with the usethereafter of said axle.

8. In combination with an wheel, an auxiliary bearing construe arrangedfor imposing the load of the v directly on said whe l. said wheel hathub, spokes radiat said bearing it having means whereby it is cla'ispokes.

7. In combination with wheel having a main bearing, an auxili bearingfor imposing the load of: the. vehicle directly'on said wheel and term ga rate connection between. the wheel and we vehicle, so thatindependently of the main bearing the wheel is c iected to the vehicle,said wheel being priinily m ipted and intended for use without saidbearing", and s l the vehicle having said wheel.

S. In combination with an auton'iohil'e wheel, an auxiliary bearingconstructed arranged for imposing the load of the re directly on saidwheel, said wheel i provided with an axle having a housing, said bearingbeing arranged to encircle housin 9. in combination with an autonio lewheel, a rotary aide and a stationary ho having a bearing "for saidaxle. an auxiliary bearing constructed and arranged for im 5-:

wheel, said bearing comprisin concer callyarranged members en recline s:

- neeaaeo housing and provided with Opposing grooves forming a raceway,and balls in said. raceway, one of said members having an openingthrough which to drop the balls into said raceway, provided with meansto close said opening after the balls are in position in the raceway,the two sides of each groove being permanently connected together, andmeans to impose the weight on one of said members, thereby to'take theweight off said axle and housing.-

10. lln combination with an automobile wheel, an auxiliary bearingconstructed and arranged for imposing the load of the vehicle directlyon said wheel, said bearing comprising an annular member detachablysecured to the wheel, so that the aX1s of Said tion to said member, sothat one member' supports the other, and means by which to carry theload on said element.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of November, 1916. i

RAYMOND R. MODONNELL l a i l i

